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A new Black Media Collaborative that's being formed in Louisville will hold a kick-off event Saturday at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage.

The event is designed to bring together directors, producers, writers and other specialists working in the film, television, radio, music, animation, theater, literature, journalism and internet fields to "tell our stories across multiple media platforms" in different formats, according to Nathaniel Spencer, a local filmmaker and BMC coordinator.

One spark for the collaborative is that Louisville is experiencing a "growth spurt" in film making, and there's a need for an organized crew of people to work in the industry, said Spencer, who runs a company called WeCU productions and serves on the Louisville film commission advisory board.

The collaborative will offer training, workshops and seminars, and participants will be mentors to youth, Spencer said. "BMC believes that developing media literacy and skilled people in the production of media will provide significant economic, employment and cultural benefits in our community," Spencer also said in a news release.

The event will be from 2 to 4 p.m. at the heritage center, 1701 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. in the Russell area, where the collaborative will be based.

The new effort is being promoted by Aukram Burton, the new executive director of the center, and among those who plan to attend is Ken Clay, past vice president for programming at the Kentucky Center for the Arts and head of Legacies Unlimited Inc. production company. It's co-producing the two-day, public "Celebrating the Legacy of Black Louisville" musical and educational event Jan. 29-30 at the center.

Saturday's BMC event will be held in partnership with the heritage center, WeCU Productions, Louisville’s Finest Showcase, RamImages and The Coming Woman. It will feature "locally recognized speakers who are dedicated to developing, producing and distributing innovative media for under-represented and under-served populations in the community," Spencer says. Speakers include:

•Tia Brown, founder of The Coming Woman, "a company with a mission to help women rid themselves of the residue of past trauma, think critically and take back control of their lives. Embracing her artistic talents in writing, spoken word and visual arts, she has reinvented herself. She is a published author of children’s books and plans to be host of a "reading book" television show she is developing.

•Troy Johnson, executive producer of Louisville’s Finest: A Talent Showcase, a television program on Time Warner Cable, Channel 98. "The showcase is a platform to present local talent in all forms of media" and has featured filmmakers, cartoonist, animators, and musicians.

•Dave Christopher, executive director of the Academy of Music Production Education and Development (AMPED), "a free youth music program that provides a safe environment for youth to learn everything related to the business of music. Participants have the opportunity to learn about singing, writing, musical instruments, audio and video production, photography, web design, performance and more.

BMC is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BMC2016/. If Saturday's kick-off is canceled because of the weather, it will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Fri., March 4 at the center. For information, call the center at 583-4100.